What's Happening today, Thursday - World Turtle Day, Day of Vesak. Earnings expected from Ralph Lauren, Intuit, Workday, Deckers Brands, TD Bank, BJ’s Wholesale Club and Ross
• Space: The Dopest Frontier: Konstantin Batygin isn’t just another run-of-the-mill, Russian-born, Japan-raised, guitar-shredding Caltech professor of astronomy. Some see him as the new Carl Sagan of our time, a cutting-edge researcher who both unravels and explains the mysteries of the universe to us all, one icy rock at a time. (METAL Men Daily)
• Prediction Markets Flip Toward Spot Ether ETF Approvals as the SEC’s Deadline Looms: Crypto-prediction markets witnessed significant fluctuations this week. Polymarket recorded a notable surge in the probability of the SEC's approval of a spot Ethereum ETF to approximately 75%, rising from the initial 10% on Monday. Participants on the decentralized platform await the SEC's decisions on spot Ether ETF applications by VanEck and Ark Invest/21Shares, with impending deadlines today and tomorrow.(Robinhood)
• Has ‘Innovation Lab’ Lost All Meaning?: What image is evoked by the term "innovation lab"? A white coat, goggles, cutting-edge technology. However, with numerous brands rushing to establish their own innovation labs, the allure of the title has diminished. The most recent example is Estee Lauder and Microsoft collaborating on an innovation lab aimed at incorporating AI into beauty routines, whatever that may entail.(The Hustle)
• Nvidia's Astonishing Profitability : Nvidia is a key figure in the AI revolution, firmly establishing itself as a leading global company with substantial value and profitability. Its profit margins are highly regarded, generating $14.9 billion net income from a $26 billion revenue last quarter. In comparison, its net income was $0.7 billion in the final quarter of 2022. (Axios)
• Making Steel with Electricity: Steel is a highly versatile material that plays a crucial role in various sectors such as construction, transportation, and infrastructure. Regrettably, the process of steelmaking raises environmental concerns due to significant greenhouse gas emissions. (MIT)
• Mars Rover Mission Will use Pioneering Nuclear Power Source: Europe’s forthcoming Mars mission is set to utilize an innovative nuclear-powered technology that utilizes the decay of americium to provide warmth to its components—an unprecedented achievement in space exploration. The European Space Agency (ESA) recently disclosed the project details on 16 May, including a collaboration with NASA that solidified the US agency's involvement in the prolonged mission. This venture will carry Europe's inaugural Mars rover, Rosalind Franklin. Initially collaborating with the Russian space agency Roscosmos on the mission, ESA terminated the partnership in 2022 due to Russia's invasion of Ukraine.(Nature)
• The Pandemic Darlings: Where are They Now?: With Zoom, DocuSign, and Peloton garnering recent attention, one might recall the past tumultuous year of 2020 amidst the ongoing global health crisis. Despite progress, current reports predominantly convey setbacks: Zoom witnesses a mere 3% year-on-year revenue increase, along with plans to summon employees to physical offices by 2023. Concurrently, DocuSign faces speculation regarding potential acquisition by private equity entities, while Peloton strategically opts for refinancing to sidestep financial strain. (Chartr)
• TikTok is About to Become Even Bigger and more Powerful: Elderly individuals and their assessments are increasingly active on TikTok. Recent studies by Pew Research Center investigated demographic behaviors on TikTok and various social media platforms. Analysts, Ryan Broderick and Adam Bumas, noted a peculiar finding: Despite TikTok being perceived as a platform for Generation Z, individuals in their thirties and forties represented almost 40% of surveyed users. Furthermore, this predominantly millennial group was expanding at a faster rate compared to the 18-to-34 demographic on the platform.(Business Insider)
• What’s Driving a New Era of Economic Growth in Puerto Rico: Near the Castillo San Cristóbal, a stone fortress overlooking the Atlantic Ocean in San Juan, Puerto Rico, a historic marker describes the island’s strategic significance along colonial-era sailing routes facilitating commerce between Europe, the Americas, and Asia. In the present day, Puerto Rico's business community sees the island's geographic position as a crucial link between North American and Latin American markets. This, coupled with its growing reputation as a hub of entrepreneurship, is expected to lead the U.S. territory into a new era driven by local businesses and STEM graduates. (FastCompany)
• The Washington Post Tells Staff It’s Pivoting to AI: Amid ongoing challenges, the Washington Post's newly appointed CEO and publisher, Will Lewis, has disclosed plans to shift towards artificial intelligence to address the publication's financial struggles. According to industry expert Max Tani, Lewis informed the newspaper's team of intentions to integrate AI into reporting to recover from a $77 million loss in the previous year. (Futurism)
• Long-Wear, Noise-Canceling, and Wireless: How Earphones Damage Our Hearing: On November 24, 2019, a new discussion titled "AirPods causing tinnitus?" commenced on the Apple community forum. An Apple user expressed concern about persistent high-pitched ringing in the ears after using AirPods extensively. The individual stressed the importance of following hearing protection guidelines, like avoiding loud environments and having earplugs on hand. Despite these efforts, the user discovered the situation worsening.(The epoch times)
• What Happens in the Brain to Cause Depression?: For numerous years, the most effective pharmacological treatments utilized for managing depression, such as SSRIs, have historically revolved around the notion that individuals suffering from depression lack sufficient levels of the neurotransmitter serotonin. However, persistently, it has been evident that this oversimplified hypothesis is inaccurate. Current studies investigating the genuine origins of depression are uncovering insights in alternative neurotransmitters and acknowledging the remarkable adaptability of the brain, surpassing previous scientific understanding. Innovations in the treatment of depression are emerging through medications like ketamine, facilitating synaptic regeneration, consequently aiding in the restoration of optimal brain chemical balance and overall physical well-being.(Quanta Magazine)
• Coffee Drinking in America is Apparently Only Half of What it was in the 1940s: Americans' coffee consumption has been on the rise, according to the recent National Coffee Association report. The data highlights a significant increase in the specialty sector, reflecting a positive trend in the industry. (Sprudge)
• Bankrupt Red Lobster Proves "All You Can Eat" In An Obese Country Isn't A Good Idea: Red Lobster's bankruptcy report discloses insights on the chain's challenges, notably focusing on offering unlimited shrimp amidst a population struggling with weight. CNN outlined the initial setbacks resulting from decisions made by a private equity firm that took over from Darden Restaurants in 2014, particularly concerning property transactions at inflated rates. (ZeroHedge)
• I’m An Orgasm Expert — Men, Here’s How to Tell If Your Woman is Faking It: She is a genuine expert, adept at discerning authenticity. An individual well-versed in matters surrounding orgasm shares indicators for men concerned about their partner's satisfaction. Katie Flowers, a model and relationship coach, highlights the prevalence of insincere climaxing in women, warning of its detrimental impact on relationships. (NY Post)
• Photo, Image / Video of the Day: Pong is a classic video game that was first released in 1972 by Atari Inc. It is one of the earliest arcade video games and helped launch the video game industry.
• Notable Statistics: Most time zones by country
• YouTube Worth Watching: How Las Vegas' Sphere Actually Works
• Ken's Book Pick: High Road Leadership: Bringing People Together in a World That Divides
• Ken's Website / Tool Pick: Onigiri forget about expensive business solutions; simply start up your freelance business and expand with us. An internet platform called Onigiri can help you run your freelance business.
The Outdated Slang Words
Who killed buzzkill? America’s most-missed slang word originated at some point in the early 1990s when dejected Gen Xers put together the words “buzz” and “kill” because “killjoy” was not grungy enough to capture the levels of teenage dejection as everybody ruined everything.
The term was quickly gobbled up by MTV, which named a short-lived hidden camera show Buzzkill in 1996, and the word itself feels oddly ‘90s-colored. However, reports of Buzzkill’s death appear to be exaggerated: Google’s Ngram Viewer shows that annual usage of the word continues to rise.
And who yoinked yoink from us? Yoink is a verb for snatching something without permission or an exclamation to say while doing so. The word is associated with classic Simpsons moments, beginning with Homer yoinking back the wad of notes Marge found in his pants after he quit spending money on Duff.
Simpsons writer George Meyer yoinked the word from Archie Comics. Literary usage of the term peaked between 2009 and 2011; apparently, today’s youth are more likely to yeet than to yoink.
Old-School American Slang We’re Glad Isn’t Popular
If we miss Simpsons and MTV-style slang, the sunsetting of ‘90s hip-hop vernacular is not such a loss. Playa is the world’s most despised old-school American slang. Urban Dictionary rather genteelly calls a playa “a juvenile male who carries a paging device, works in fast-food service, and has one or more illegitimate children.”
But playing the field is no longer something to brag about as a man, if being a playa is even possible in this day and age: “The overall picture [is] that if a woman is going to go on a date with a man, chances are it’s not for a casual fling,” as professor emeritus of psychology Ronald Levant told the New York Post.
A pair of slang words popularized by ‘90s movies are also on the 2020s hit list. “Not!” is a “not really” synonym that Wayne’s World’s Mike Myers grew up with as a “suburban, heavy metal, adolescent.” It’s a joke that’s since been used by three presidents and a UK prime minister, so you can see why it’s not cool anymore.
And then there’s Monet, named for the French impressionist painter and used in the Amy Heckerling film Clueless:
Alicia Silverstone: “She's a full-on Monet.”
Brittany Murphy: “What's a Monet?”
Alicia Silverstone: “It's like the paintings, see? From far away, it's OK, but up close, it’s a big old mess.”
Vintage British Slang We Want to Bring Back
If your fake posh or cockney British accent is good enough, it can be difficult to tell if the slang you use is real or entirely made up. British slang tends to be either abrupt and consonanty (chuffed, sod off, nowt) or a long and convoluted probable allusion to some forgotten moment of colonial history (Bob's Your Uncle), or both (Chockablock).
The internet’s favorite old Brit slang, however, is more straightforward: bloody is a 14th-century word meaning “involving bloodshed” and later “bloodthirsty, cruel, tainted with blood-crimes.” It has been “a British intensive swear word at least since 1676” — Lexicographer Samuel L. Johnson thought it “very vulgar.” In case it’s not convoluted enough for you, consider that in polite company, it’s referred to as “the Shavian adjective” after George Bernard Shaw included it in the text for his elocution-themed play, Pygmalion.
Vintage British Slang We’re Glad Isn’t Popular
Our analysis of unpopular old British slang words all but proves that the UK is no more real a place than Middle-earth.
The number one word is from a place that many Brits themselves have failed to verify as real: Tyneside, a region comprising Newcastle-upon-Tyne and its surroundings, with its own dialect known as Geordie. The Geordie word canny means “Good, nice or pleasant,” according to locals — but 52.62% of Urban Dictionary users would rather be rid of it.
Second-worst Take the Mickey is rhyming slang for “take the piss” (make fun of), with Mickey being short for Mickey Bliss. However, to back up the theory that Britain isn’t real, there doesn’t seem to be a real or fictitious character with this name beyond his appearance in this phrase.
There follows a pentuplet of British words that could very well be the roster of the Hogwarts basketball team: Bonk, Wangle, Fancy, Dench and Mug. Meaning, respectively: copulate, manipulate, desire, first-rate and fool.
The Dating Slang People Miss the Most
As if dating isn’t confusing enough, people keep changing the words. Every generation develops its own dating argot, whether inspired by the pop culture romances of the time or the particular technologies involved.
“To deem a person ‘my boo’ is to effectively designate that person as one’s sweetheart,” WSJ tells us (by extension, both the boo and the booee might be considered “boo’d up”). Boo has actually traveled with us across cultures: it comes from the French word ‘beau’ (lovely), which made its way into the dating scene of 18th-century England and enjoyed a resurgence following Usher and Alicia Keys’ hit record, My Boo, in 2004.
Dear John refers to the sort of break-up letter that World War II squaddies might expect to receive from their loved ones back home. “Dear John: I don’t know quite how to begin but I just want to say that Joe Doakes came to town on furlough the other night and he looked very handsome in his uniform, so when he asked me for a date…” goes the example given in a 1943 article on the trending topic. (Damn it — my former wingman Joe Doakes?) However, this popularly upvoted slang phrase is having a resurgence courtesy of the eponymous Taylor Swift song.
The Insult Slang People Miss the Most
Even the columnists at the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services get that a “sick burn” is far more likely to be a powerful insult than an infected blistering. But despite efforts to breathe new life into the art form, some of today’s most popular insults can be traced back to the Bible.
And Urban Dictionary users show a distinct preference for some centuries-old European-rooted insult slang such as dunderhead (perhaps from the Middle Dutch for “thunder”) and fop (originally from the German “to jeer at, make a fool of,” but taking on the sense of a posh and ridiculous dandy around the time of the Macaroni craze. Yes, that Macaroni craze).
Scoundrel has a remarkable 96.15% upvote rate. It may come from old Latin and French terms meaning “to hide away,” but the oldest known use in its modern(ish) form is from the 1580s: skowndrell, “base, mean, worthless fellow.” Somehow, the very sound of the word seems to conjure the precise mixture of audacious rascally, moral bankruptcy and general sneaking around with which we associate the scoundrel today.